Of minor excitment and getting Ready for Thanksgiving~~~

Hello My Darklings,

Well I know I have not been posting for a while, partly because I was called back to work to fill in for several staff persons, one on vacation and two who are down sick with colds. 

Fortunately the work was not arduous mostly inputting information into the data base, but since I'm a very detailed oriented person, and there was a fair amount of work for the others, I said I could handle it. 

It felt good to be back briefly at my old work place, but I also remembered why I chose to go into semi-retirement and be "on-call" status.  I think what I miss is my co-workers, us having a laugh, grabbing a bit of lunch at one of our favorite places near-by,  but we did have a bit of a City moment last week.

I and 3 of my co-workers decided to have lunch out, and we called our order in advance, it was only a half-block walk but as we walked up the street there jumped out in front of us was a very naked man wearing only tennis shoes---I guess he didn't want to get his feet cut from any broken glass. 

He proceeded to dance from one foot to the other, the third leg of him bouncing in rhythm but although my female co-worker was shocked I laughed after I got over the suddenness of it and said "Is that all you've got---That is pitiful!" and our two male co-workers called the police, I and Paul stayed behind while our friends went to save our lunches, fortunately the police showed up quickly, and we pointed the man out who by this time he'd put on a long coat but was being held by two workmen from a near by construction job.

It seems my remark sort of stunned the man and slowed down his escape allowing for him to be captured.  So he is going to a psych ward for Thanksgiving and fortunately we did have our lunch.  As we were eating Paul asked me if that display shocked me and I said that I was surprised that the cold didn't affect his "third leg".  Meg, my co-work nearly snorted her coffee up her nose with that remark. 

I have to admit Darklings, I've reached a phase in my life where I will say almost what I think.

We had wondered if it was a Full Moon but that occurred on Nov 6, and we were in the quarter portion. 

But I was wondering if there is something in the air because the night before, Doyle and I were reading in the family parlor when we heard a loud thump bang on the outside of the house, Doyle went out and saw that our neighbors crazy son was quickly walking down our drive way spots Doyle and immediately starts yelling obscenities to Doyle, Doyle wants to walk up the driveway to see what "Crazy" has done but "Crazy" keeps blocking Doyle's path.   Doyle is wise enough to not get close to him but keeps him pretty much in place, of course people are looking out their windows and I went in to call the police because of "Crazy" trespassing onto our property. 

They showed up pretty quickly and Doyle stayed back and started giving information while "Crazy" was talking to the other officers claiming that we had an Ultrasound Machine and we're projecting sound waves into his head. 

Doyle and the officer walk up the driveway to see if there's damaged and found that about 4 feet of telephone cable had been pulled out of the basement connection and out into the driveway, but our phone and internet connection was not affected.

In going into the basement we realized that the line repairman had left a lot of cable and the rest was anchored to a beam in the basement, which explains why "Crazy" could only pull out 4 feet.  He claimed he was trying to dismantle the Ultrasound machine---our phone lines.  But because the way the lineman had installed our line our system did not appear to be damaged but we called for a check up anyway to be sure.

"Crazy" in the meantime was hauled away and will also spend Thanksgiving in a psych ward, and possible charges of attempted vandalism might be filed against him. 

The drive way gate to the house is set far back so it was easy access for "Crazy to walk up the driveway, but I am going to see if my contractor can move the gate down towards the front to be even with the  period iron fencing, I had been thinking about that for a while but this only confirms that it needs to be done.

And then this event in the City.  My co-workers think it has to be something in the water. 

Sis and I in the mean time have been purchasing tidbits of things for Thanksgiving, I'd love to make home made cranberry sauce but the canned version displays itself so much better although I do have that simple recipe for it. We have been making rum balls and Bourbon balls but we'll have to label it for grown ups, don't want the children getting strange.

And of course the sweet pickles and small picked onions all for luck, olives several kinds---black, pimento, onion stuffed and any strange goodies,  I'm afraid we are buying bottled gravy chicken of course,  the turkey has been ordered. 

And we are planning on what types of pies, considering that we'll have 20 people over at least, it's a good size bird, and we have to have all kinds of things to purchase,  Frozen items will not be a problem we'll buy it next Sunday, fresh items will have to be on Tuesday and  Sis and I will have to make an early morning run to the store for that. 

Fortunately my Cousin Louise and her friend are helping out and will have all the table and glass wear down and ready.  Wednesday will be a lot of pre-cooking and making, all the traditional items that Mom use to serve.  But Thursday will be the heavy part of it, Thanks goodness for my O'Keefe and Merritt two oven six burner, with warming ovens stove.  It is a trouper.

Fortunately some items will be made by some of our guests which will take some burden off, and I'm glad that Doyle suggested buying those two extra Micro-wave ovens they will come in handy.

But before the festivities can start I have a small plumbing problem that is now being worked on as I type this.  A small leak developed in one of the pipes in the basement, which leads to the kitchen sink, it can be fixed from below.  Well when one has an old house what can you expect.

 So that is why I haven't been posting much,  so much to do, and not enough time to do it in, I think I'm going to need Christmas just to relax.   Oh that's right I do have that Black Christmas tree, I think it will go into the entrance hall. 

And we are making plans to go to the Dickens Fair, Dunsmuir house, Coralline wants to see the Nutcracker again, and of course I'm trying to find out where the "Christmas Tree Lanes" will be.

It's strange really, but when I think of Christmas, in terms of music I don't hear the usual Christmas tunes but the Waltz of the Snowflakes from the Nutcracker, where you hear the light voices of children singing.  It's on Youtube.  

But that is the music I hear when I think of the magic of Christmas.

And now I must go, the plumber is calling me, I think the work is done.

Later Darklings

I wish I could add this stain glass window to my home

Of Sleeping outside~~~~

Well Darklings,

I never did tell you about our sleeping outside.

As I said before the heat was so horrible and it made our bedrooms so uncomfortable that we ate dinner and watched T.V. outside on the screened porch, but even my sister said that her house was too uncomfortable to sleep in even with all the fans on. 

Doyle as practical as ever brought up the sleeping cots that I have just in case we have an overflow, (mostly my Brother's gang of 3 boys), so Sis and I slept on the cots and Doyle and Brian slept on air mattresses out on the back porch, we did have access to the bathroom off of the Kitchen, night lights are always a blessing.

Weiner and Bella decided to sleep with the men folk, I called Bella a little traitor but she just looked at me with a practical look like "If you think I'm going to sleep on that tiny thing and fall off, think again, lady." 

And without further adieu snuggled onto the blankets on the mattress,  and I have to say we all slept very soundly and with a certain amount of comfort.

We woke the next morning to the smell of coffee and bacon Doyle taking upon himself to cook breakfast, it felt like we were camping in a way.  And with that Sis and I reminisced about camping with our parents, and the time we were traveling and had a hard time finding a motel that had a vacancy sign.

We finally found one but it was still in the midst of renovations, but we were so tired and the gas station across the street had closed for the night, after all  it was nearly 9 p.m. and Dad said we were down to an 1/8 of a tank of gas,  I don't even remember where we were going to for the vacation, Oregon I think to visit distant relatives, but Dad had the camping gear but we couldn't even find a camp ground. 

So Mom said "Motel" and we started looking.   It was an old motel, with individual cabins, the owner was apologetic about everything but he did have a cabin with kitchen that had two double beds, so Dad and Mom had one bed, Sis and I had the other and my brothers slept on this couch that folded out into a bed.

There had been heavy rain an hour before and we found ants in the door way, the owner gave us a can of Bug Spray, again saying that with the work being done and the rain a lot of things were not up to par,  and he and his wife were kind enough to have dinner for us, it was Meat Loaf, but it was good, so good my Mom asked for the recipe, which flattered the owners wife, and they gave us coffee, sugar and milk for the next day so we could at least have coffee and milk and they said they'd cook breakfast for us.   Dad offered to pay, but they wouldn't have it, but Dad snuck $10.00 under their telephone.

The next day Mom was perking the coffee as we kids got cleaned up when all of a sudden we heard Mom yell,  and hopping out from the kitchen area was a frog!!!   Dad was laughing but got a used face cloth and captured the little thing and took it outside to release it in some bushes, the Motel Owner came running after hearing Mom scream and he and Dad laughed over the tiny frog as Dad put it under a nice damp bush.

The owner told us that there was a near by creek that had frogs and this one must have wandered in somehow.  Mom said she heard a sound under the sink and investigated only to be startled by the frog, our brothers wanted to keep it but Dad said it wasn't fair to the frog.

Afterwards we had a nice breakfast and Dad again snuck some money under the telephone, and then gassed up the car as Mom packed everything.  Thanking the owners again for their hospitality we continued on our way. 

It wasn't until about 3 years later, we were traveling again to visit our relatives in Oregon and Mom said let's stop at that Motel and stay overnight there,  well we were there but the Motel wasn't, instead we found old burnt out buildings and a sign saying that it was going to be demolished.

The gas station was there so we knew we were at the right place, so we pulled in and Dad asked if there was another place to stay remarking about the Motel across the street, the Attendant said there was and even called ahead to see if there was room and there was so Dad talked to the clerk on the phone for reservations.

Then Dad came out and asked about the Motel across the street and how we had stayed there 3 years before.

The attendant shook his head and said "it was a bad thing."   He explained that the owners were very nice people, had the place renovated and was doing good business, even paid for a billboard so people would know about it. 

The wife had a brother who wasn't,  as the attendant said "right in the head", he came to stay for a week, which was fine as it was in January a very slow time, and the owners were installing new mattresses, so the brother helped out with that.  But late one night they only had one "guest" in the cabin next to their office home, and he heard yelling and screaming, then it stopped, the guest didn't think too much about it, and went to the bathroom in his cabin, then he smelled gasoline, he became alarumed grabbed his suitcase and stuffed his change of clothes into it grabbed his keys and shoes and threw them into his car, just in case,  he was in his bathroom and was walking towards the office to complain about the gasoline smell, which he said smelled stronger outside, when suddenly the office exploded into flames.

According to the attendant, the guest jumped into his car and drove across the street to the phone booth that was there at the gas station and called the fire department.  As he was calling the fire department the other cabins exploded into flames one by one.   The attendant said he only lived a block away and heard sirens and saw the flames and came running to the gas station thinking it was on fire.

When he got there he saw the man in his bath robe and the police and fire fighters, they were hosing down the buildings and looking for the owners when between the burning cabins the "crazy brother" as he called him comes running out and was yelling that they were evil and burning in hell all was hell and poured gasoline on himself and ran into one of the cabins before anyone could stop him.

The next day the found the bodies of the owners in the office part, and that of the brother in the burnt out cabin that he ran into.  Piecing it together it seems that the brother had stabbed the husband and wife to death, and then burned the motel.   It was known that the brother was "off" always claiming that he was being followed or that his sister stole things from him, now a days it would be called paranoid schizophrenia.

The guest said that he heard a man's voice yelling that "you're poisoning me!" and "I'm not going back," and a lot of other things that he didn't hear very well.  The miracle was that the yelling woke him up and then smelling the gasoline warned him something was wrong,  it was found that one of the locks on the pumps was busted and there were about a dozen burnt gas cans found at the scene.

I remember Mom saying out loud, "they were such a nice couple," and the attendant agreed, they had helped a lot of folks.   The motel that we did stay in was nice and very modern, and had a café next door, but it wasn't the same Mom said.

I reminded Sis about those two trips and she remembered it as well the funny part about the frog and then the sad part what happened later.

Then she reminded me about the trailer that Dad borrowed from a friend that we went camping in, a real vintage piece,  but that is a story for another time.

You know Darklings, I haven't been back there for ages, after that last trip our Oregon relatives moved to Arizona, so we traveled in a different direction---as a matter of fact that was the one we had the travel trailer.  But that is for another time. 

Tonight not so hot but we'll have grilled shrimp salad for dinner tonight and again on the back porch, dinning al fresco, then "Gotham" and "Sleepy Hollow" followed by "Blacklist" as we record "Castle".

Later Darklings

Of things slowly becoming Normal??? or Tornados in Boston???~~~~

Dear Darklings,

It has been ages since I've heard the weather being so bizarre here in the States.

Yesterday there were lighting strikes in Venice Beach, Ca. which killed one person and injured several others.   So unusual!!

And then this morning eastern time a Tornado in the Boston area, they never have tornados.  It tore apart homes, flooding and I believed someone got hurt.  Just so bizarre. (or was it Chicago---now I'm confused)

Of course we're dealing with wildfires in the Northwest and in California that is almost a given, but to have it start so early in the summer and one is especially close to Yosemite, threatening the community of El Portal.

Of course the weather man is describing how they get created and the drought and everything, but one of my friends came by today to see how I was doing and brought by a wonderful Lemon Blueberry bread or cake I don't know which but oh so scrumptious.  And she brought two of them,  and gave me a copy of the recipe.

My plumber was finishing up on getting my sink unclogged and working beautifully tried a slice and asked for a copy of the recipe as his wife bakes, so I made him a copy (thank you oh photocopy machine attached to my computer)

And YES Darklings my sink is finally unplugged, unclogged, unstagnated and running free, free, free!  Fortunately I had buckets for the plumber to use to catch the water, or sludge really, such gunk, I'd call it swamp water, it was horrible, so horrible I think even the swamps would not want it.. 

We took it to the farthest back part of the yard where it would not matter and dumped it there.  Then I ran some water on it to break it down. 

And it's cooling down here in the house finally, oh I'm keeping the fans on to circulate the air but at least we can sleep more comfortably now. 

My friend Lena said to me that the way the weather is going with lighting and tornados she was wondering if some evil sorcerer was doing something really awful.  Well she is very much into the occult and tarot and such, and loves exploring haunted houses and places, doing EVP recordings and such I've heard some of the recordings, and they disturb me a bit.

Anyway after my plumber left and I was happy, we had Lemonade and the Lemon Blueberry bread, the three of us, and discussed the whole situation, triple digits inland for us and 90's just south and north of us and we had reached a very high point in some parts where we live it did reach the 90's, and the drought does not make it any better.

Lena has friends in Arizona and they've been getting monsoon rains, and you have to be careful during that kind of weather because one minute your fine the next minute your car is floating down the street.  And lighting strikes all over, Lena told me that during this time the TV stations in Arizona compete for the best lighting photos. 

To each their own I say,  I remember some years ago, Mom and Dad wanted to sell off a bunch of stuff they didn't want nor needed anymore, so borrowing a neighbors van we loaded everything up the night before, and went to the old Flea Market that was held in an old Drive in Theatre, well lots of things sold even as we were unloading things, and Dad was glad all the large items sold quickly and we were putting out smaller stuff and it started to rain, in July a strange warm rain, I was feeling electricity dancing along my arms which frightened me.

Just then both Dad, Mom and I looked up towards these telephone poles that we just outside the fence of the drive-in and we saw lighting,  multiple lighting bolts dancing along the wires.

Dad said "That's it pack up!!" and we did and still selling things as we were packing up, we managed to get what was left into the van just and we were hit with a torrential down pour, just then we felt the prickling again and Dad said "Don't touch the doors or anything metal, keep your feet on the rubber pads"  we did and a good thing too.

I felt the hair on my head begin to stand up and a heavy pressure pressing down on me, suddenly everything went white in a blinding flash and a loud explosion, when I could see again I saw a ball of lighting moving quickly from metal stantion to stantion (those are those metal posts that held the speakers you mounted on your car window to hear the movie) and then it disappear under our van.

I heard Mom cry out "Jesus, Mary and Joseph!!!"   and then just as suddenly as the rains came it began to taper off.  People were moving quickly and other sellers were packing quickly as well. 

We knew there had been a lighting strike in the Drive-in but exactly where we didn't know, but we did see another strike further on in a large lot that was empty except for some old trees.

Then we heard sirens,  it was the fire department several people had been hurt by the strike fortunately we found out later not fatal.

It was a bit too much for all of us my Sister was saying "Can we go home??"  Dad said we would but we had to wait for it to clear out as much as possible because everyone was trying to leave at the same time, we did see a few fender benders between some old trucks, nothing that would stop them from working, even the truck owners acted like "It's o.k. let's get outta here".

It was good to get home after all that excitement, my brother who was staying with friends that day was mad having missed all the excitement---I thought he was nuts.  But that's younger brother's for you.

That old drive-in movie theatre is gone McMansions are sitting on that ground, but I'll never forget seeing the lighting dancing on the wires.

Later Darklings

Of Doyle is Home and Horror Camping~~~~

Good News My Darklings,

Doyle is home!!!  Hooray!! Hooray!!!

He's not completely well, but his temperature is normal, Vitals are normal except for the slightly elevated white cell count, the swelling has gone down tremendously, but he still has some pain.

They are continuing to have him take his antibiotics orally for the next 6 weeks!!!   And he has pain meds to take as needed.

Because its so much antibiotics he is also required to take probiotics to keep the healthy bacteria in his digestive system.  And the Doctor also recommended Turmeric in capsules that I can get at the health food store.  For inflammation.  She saw nothing wrong with it and it does seem to have some healthful uses. 

So he's home to continue treatment, but because its so painful to go up and down stairs he's sleeping in the old "maid's" room since it has its own shower and is near the kitchen, on the main floor so he can move around if he gets bored sleeping and still be a part of what's going on.

He's on medical leave for 3 weeks, then he'll be on part time until he gets completely well, he can do a lot of his work at home and just e-mail it in and telephone conference.  It works.

I asked him if he wanted me to sleep with him down stairs but he said no for me to be comfortable as well.  And it seems that Weiner Dog has taken up to guarding him, but just having him home is comforting.

And we have more follow up appointments and lab tests.  Well that's all do-able.

And life is getting back to what passes for normal around here, thanks to the Kitchen sink clogging up.  For the life of me I can't understand why, I make sure no grease or anything goes down the drain, but this is the first time this has happened since I took up residence here. 

So to do the mundane thing----call the plumber, but he's out of town for today, well I can deal with it, removed the standing water.  Some trees way to the back are discovering grey water watering.  And I can use dish pans for now.   I wasn't brought up an old-fashion Gothic Girl for nothing!

Sis went to the Horror Camp out---and they do have two levels, the scardy-cat level where ghost stories are told and you watch a horror film, and the more intense level where you are on a bloody treasure hunt, Sis found it fascinating from a psychological view point, testing people's nerves and such but there were some who couldn't take it and said "I want my Mommy" which is the "out" word.  She managed to get a few names of participants to get their opinions and feelings about this at a later time, of course she also has our friends as well, but all in all, she enjoyed it.

It was hokey in parts and a little intense in others but really good silly fun.   She said it was not like when we were camping with our parents and the coyotes---now that was the real deal.  But the unexpected was enough to give people some serious scares.  She said she could understand why a person has to be at least 18 years old, it would be too intense for anyone younger and of course liability as well.

But really for the younger crowd, she told me "As far as I'm concerned at our age if we go camping it's going to be Glamping or at least in an RV, better yet a 5 star hotel with a spa!"   All I could do was laugh at some of the things that happened.  Silly, hokey and generally fun.

And now I hear Doyle moaning, time for his pain pill.

Later Darklings

Of Musings, thoughts and the whys of my blog~~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I thought we were going to the movies today, but Coralline seems to have come down with either allergies or a Summer cold, her parents are taking her to the doctor tomorrow to be on the safe side.  Poor thing, she called me last night saying her throat itched on the inside, and she kept sneezing, coughing and her nose would not stop running----the fever her mother told me was mild, not even 100 I told her I suspected pollen allergy but we both agreed the Doctor would know, so for now a children's allergy cold tablet to see how that goes. 

In a way I hope its not a summer cold, and that if it is allergies that its mild and controllable.

I've had several people ask me why I do not comment in greater depth about world issues that are happening.

Personally I prefer not to, I do have my opinions, some of them are quiet strong and might offend my blog readers, and I have no wish to do that.

I prefer that my blog be a sort of diary, silly, stupid, funny, sad, slightly opinionated, a bit Gothic, a bit strange, maybe even a bit crazy.

Oh I do comment on things---but more from how it affects myself or my family, or from what I've seen or read, and if it's on the dark Gothic side or strangely bizarre, all the more fun.

But there are things that do horrify me and sometimes I cannot help but express it from my point of view, sometimes it is the only way to mentally clear my mind.

I've posted family things that have happened in the past, mentioned sad and funny things in relationship to family members, both personal, religious, frightening and sometimes angry.

And yes, I have put them out here to "dry" as it were on the wash-line of a blog, but in a way I'd like those who are not from where I live, to get an idea of the fact that some people are not all alike

And I must be popular because I was startled to discover that I've had over 22,000 viewings on my blog, that might not be much, but since I don't advertise it, it is a lot to me, with people from all over the world, even area's where I would think my blog would be banned.

But if through my peramutations my random thoughts or opinions it gives to those who are restrained from seeing the outside world at least a glimpse of over here, then I MUST be doing something right.

I may seem self indulgent, selfish and self-centered, I'm not, but now and then it is relaxing to take sometime for one's self.  I may even seem wealthy, overly wealthy---I'm not Bill Gates----I've managed to save, invest, got lucky with my Great-Aunts Trust to maintain her house and to do adventures---but I don't travel to Europe or over seas, I pretty much stay in my back yard.

I watch my budget and I do things to earn extra money, recycling for instance, buying 2nd hand, yard sales, saving money to buy as needed large purchases.  And there have been times I've worked 2nd jobs to get what is needed or desired. 

I am more than aware of those who are not as fortunate as myself, I take that into account.  That is why I give to charities that help battered women, the homeless, the sick, and to services for animals that are abused and abandoned in the hopes they will find loving homes or santuaries.

I have helped friends, co-workers and family members get back on their feet without thought of re-payment.

Ahhh now I know it sound like I'm being like that person in one of Jesus's parables of the Rich man and the Tax-collector, it may seem like I'm bragging---I'm not, I'm just explaining myself as best as I can---because more than once I've felt like the Tax-collector who says "Lord I am not worthy to be in your presence for I am a sinner."

And I guess God has heard me, for despite my losses of family and friends whom I miss dearly, I have been fortunate.

So I will not comment on the misery of the world, at least not in depth, not on this blog, I intend to have it as a form of escape for folks or something to enjoy vicariously in some way.

A little bit Goth, a little bit Film Noir, a healthy splash of Adams Family and the Munsters,  a little bit "Leave it to Beaver" and a touch of "I Love Lucy".   Because that is just how my family was and is.

And now I'm going to see about finding a Monster High Doll for Coralline to cheer her up.

Later Darklings

Of Darth Vader, Maleficent, man-caves and Sam Spade~~~~~

Hello Darklings,

I only worked a half day today and am taking a long weekend vacation, I do not have to be at work until Wednesday----Oh wonderful fun! 

I plan on doing at least 1 possibly 2 day trips.  My Sister is going to visit her children in Sacramento but Brian will be house sitting, and he said he'd watch Belladonna and Weiner Dog if I decide to take those day trips.

Coralline and her family are going out of town as well to visit my sister-in-laws relatives, in Santa Barbra, it should be fun, the boys are finally learning to behave themselves and Coralline is looking forward to seeing at least one or two historic sights. 

Doyle's work has eased up a bit, right now it's mostly background checks, which he can do from home.  He has his own line and computer to do that.  That way he keeps his business expenses separate from home use.  I think eventually he'll move it to his "man-cave" once the work is completed.  He found the perfect door for it.  It's right out of an old 1930's office building, a pebble glass inset with the bottom half made of  wood, and it appears to be heavy oak,  the pebble privacy glass is smooth on the outside but pebbled on the inside, I told him he doesn't want to expose it to the weather.

So in talking to my contractor he said it would not be a problem to create a recess in the building, so there'd be an outer door and the inner door, the recess would be like a mini-lobby to protect the oak door from the weather and could be used to hang wet coats and such, I could see how Doyle's mind is working, right now the door is stored in my nice, dry basement, but I asked Doyle what was he going to do with it.

He replied "I'm going to have a sign maker do a design on it like from the movie the Maltese Falcon and have it say "Spade, Archer & Doyle Investigations".   Well I did a slight inward groan, but also thought, why not, if you're going to have a man-cave have fun with it.

And we'll have fun looking for the proper furniture and accessories to go with it.

Last night Sis, Brian, Doyle and I were playing dominos'  chicken foot dominos, I like the strategy of the game, but some how the conversation got turned around to improbable pairings---and it got sillier and sillier and we were laughing too hard to focus on the game.

And then an idea came to me when Sis said something about the new movies coming out and the new Star Wars sequel,  and I said "Could you imagine if Darth Vader met Maleficent, and they got engaged, married and had a child?"  

Brain said "That would take things to a whole new world".   And we were off again, about Lukas films and Disney and the franchising and everything. 

And the Doyle said "But think about it, it would be the perfect Goth wedding of the Century, I mean, how could you plan that one???"

I will leave the idea's to your fertile minds, my Darklings

Later Darklings

Of Tequila and bizarre stories, a French Sweeny Todd?? ~~~~~

Hello Darklings,

Well I am enjoying my nail polish color "Boxer Shorts" by ESSIE, I didn't think I'd like a lighter color but this is just perfect.

And FINALLY cool, breezy weather!  I have the back door open with the mesh screen and the front door open but with a locking screen door, I have one that can be put on and removed with the weather, usually it doesn't go on until June, but I had my handyman put it on early this year, and it will stay up until just before Halloween.

Doyle dragged out the window screens and we were putting them up on the windows upstairs to get as much ventilation as possible, especially the storage rooms on the top floor, it helps circulate the hot air out and cool down the house, but Sis thinks we should have a window air conditioner in the playroom/sewing room, so that one room can be really cool in case someone becomes over come with the heat, we have one of the old recliners in there for just in case.  But if we have the tribe over and there's not enough room I have those beds that inflate that works well.

So spent yesterday putting the screens up, went grocery shopping and put all the things way, but as I was unpacking Doyle brought in another bag and it "clinked" so I said to him "O.k. Mister, what's in the bag?"

Well while I was still putting things into the cart Doyle went and bought two bottles of tequila, called Kah Tequila, and they come in colorful skull shaped bottles, white, black and orange color and one with crystals on it, but Doyle only bought the white and black bottles.

Now I'm not much of a fan of tequila, except for an occasional margarita but I have to say they are a nice addition to add to the Crystal Vodka bottle.  So I think we'll be having margarita's for the summer.  And Apothtic wines have put out a Rose that we are going to try.

I wish I could do another Wine tour in the Fall but at this point I don't see how I can.

Especially since I've got my contractor started to build the "man cave" for Doyle that will be behind the garage.  But we'll see what we can do for mini-get aways.

My sister was at first thinking of putting in a Jacuzzi that looks like a waterfall but Brian gave her another idea, with all the maintenance of a Jacuzzi but only limited use, he suggested instead a garden with a water element but  have it so that one can walk under the waterfall and sit in a recessed spot while the water flowed over like a curtain, on extremely hot days it would be very cool, but could turn off the waterfall and just use an aeration system for any  common gold fish to be put into the pond.   In years where there's no drought problem could run the water fall, and years where there is a drought problem turn it off, even though the water would be re-circulating there is a certain amount of evaporation.

And to just put in gold fish since its outdoors, not expensive Koi, that would work said my sister as she wants to put out orchids that tolerate the outdoors, cymbidiums to give it a more tropical effect, and night blooming jasmine, and she has gardenia bushes planted as well.  Two Birds of Paradise to anchor the setting down, other exotic looking plants will be added, but she wants to go for scent that carries in the air. 

Her 1950's Tiki Room is coming along very nicely, and she's added an aquarium in it but is again using gold-fish.   Some of her clients find the room very relaxing and fun, which is a good thing for her work.

I was having so much fun the other day with the story of the delivery truck crashing and setting fire to a funeral home that I had hoped to find other bizarre stories, but they are slow in coming---except for this tid-bit.

Now Darklings do you remember the general story of Sweeny Todd the Demon Barber?  They made it into a musical with Angela Landsbury, did quiet well too.

Well everyone thought it was a story from England, and just a figment of an over active Victorian writer's imagination----but it is possible that the writer might have done some research and that the story might have come from France.

I am going to print it out here for you  the author of the article is Quinn Connors, who is a freelance writer who has recently relocated from Paris to Sydney. She is a former Editorial Translator for Vogue Paris and Contributor to the Vogue Paris Huffington Post UK blog.

And here is the story

 

Sweeney Todd de Paris: The Original Demon Barber

By Quinn Connors

 

Could it be that the original Sweeney Todd was not actually from Victorian London, but from Medieval Paris? Legend has it that the City of Lights and Love had its very own demon barber during the 14th century. And in fact, Paris was quite possibly the first home of cannibalistic pastries from a murderous barber-butcher relationship.

 On the Seine’s Ile de la Cité, before the Hotel Dieu hospital was relocated to the island, the rue des Marmousets was renowned for its delectable pâtés and meat pies. People came from far and wide for the succulent French delicacies – especially for those made by a butcher next door to a barber shop on the corner of rue des Marmousets and rue des Deux-Hermites. The pies and pâtés sold there were so tasty, due to a certain je ne sais quoi, that even King Charles VI was said to have been a fan.

From 1384 until 1387, this acclaimed butcher was in cahoots with his neighboring barber, turning a pretty penny on the special pâtés. What made his savories particularly good? The soft, scrumptious, young flesh of the victims of the demon barber of Ile de la Cité of course. The barber whose usual clientele of foreign students – who were less likely to be noticed missing – would give customers a close shave and send them down a chute to the basement he shared with the butcher. Down there, the butcher would prepare the human meat, grinding it up for his infamous spreadable pastes and meat torts. This sinister partnership thrived for three years, and would have continued if it wasn’t for a poor pup whose owner never returned from the diabolical barber.

Abandoned, the dog waited outside the shop, whimpering and barking for the man who had now become a delicious, spreadable meat paste. Eventually the wife of the victim found the family pet, but he refused to abandon his vigil at the barbershop. With her husband nowhere to be found and her dog’s new obsession with the local barber, the woman felt that something seemed fishy, er meaty, so she went to the police who conducted a search of the area. To the disgust of all, the police eventually uncovered a heap of human bones and flesh in the shared underbelly of the two shops.

 For their horrific crimes, the barber and the butcher were burned alive, along with their shops, so as to exorcise the area from their evil aura. A bronze dog statue was erected on the corner to commemorate the dedicated pup who cracked the case. With its gruesome history, the razed area was abandoned for a century until King Francois I allowed construction on the site. The bronze dog remained on guard until the mid-19th century when that area of the island went through its grand transformation into the present day Hotel Dieu.

 Today, even though the shop fronts and dog statue are gone, you can still visit the site of the first known Sweeney Todd at 20 rue Chanoinesse, which is now the Parisian Police Department’s motorcycle garage.

 A piece of the original stone foundation of the old building remained in the depths of the garage.

As I went to investigate, I caught the eye of a young officer. Assuming I was lost and had a question about directions, I caught him off guard when I asked him about the infamous murders and if the story was true. With a surprised look and a glint in his eye, he told me that that was the legend and some of the old building remained in the depths of the garage. So, if you’re lucky and speak with an officer on a good day, you can head down to the basement of the building to see a piece of the original stone foundation and feel the eerie chill left by the barber and butcher.

 Now, I dare you to go enjoy some delicious French pâté. After all, it is only a legend… Bon appétit!

~~~~~~~~~

Well even I would be concerned about who or what was in the pate after reading that, although I do make mine from chicken with sweet French bread, when I have the time.

 

But I just thought that would be of interest and I think I'll keep looking for other unusual and bizarre stories to "tickle your fancy".   Perhaps dear Darklings you can save them up and read them to your guests for Halloween. 

And now I'm going to brew some more Lavender Lemonade.

 

Later Darklings